Racial And Ethnic Equity (REE) MEL Specialist

Dexis Corporate Culture

Dexis is a professional services firm that solves the most pressing social challenges in complex environments, paving the way for a more secure and prosperous world.

Dexis embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion and strives to build and maintain a safe environment where we celebrate diverse backgrounds, treat everyone with respect, and value the unique lived experiences each person brings based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, military or veteran status, national origin, age, marital status or family status and related conditions.

At Dexis, you will experience a corporate culture of inclusiveness, fairness, and trust. You will be given the means and mentorship needed to succeed, and your creativity will be rewarded.

About the Position

This is an eleven-month position with an immediate start date. Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) — a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis— is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist to support the implementation of the Racial and Ethnic Equity Initiative at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI), Inclusive Development Hub (ID Hub). The ID Hub’s mandate is to promote the rights and inclusion of marginalized and under-represented populations around the world in the development process, working across various technical areas to “combat stigma and discrimination, promote empowerment and inclusion of marginalized or underrepresented groups, and improve the lives of populations in high-risk situations” such as children in adversity (APCCA strategy), youth (YID strategy), Indigenous Peoples (PRO-IP), persons with disabilities (policy), and LGBTQI+ persons (LGBT vision).

Propelled by the two Executive Orders on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government – issued on January 20, 2021, and February 16, 2023 – the ID Hub will build on USAID’s longstanding work to develop technical guidance that outlines an approach to embedding racial and ethnic equity considerations in USAID policies and programming.

To this end, the Racial and Ethnic Equity (REE) team has developed an ambitious research and evaluation agenda aimed at providing the ID Hub with data that we could apply in developing MEL technical guidance and the Agency may draw upon to design CDCS/RDCS and development activities to advance equity. Tools and guides will also be developed, and technical assistance provided to measure results and the impact of these programs.

The REE MEL Specialist will carry out monitoring, learning and evaluation practices as well as support knowledge management tasks that are focused on racial and ethnic equity. The REE MEL Specialist will work collaboratively with various DDI Operating Units, PPL, and the ID Hub MEL Specialist to ensure coordinated MEL practices within the ID Hub. The REE MEL Specialist will develop practices and tools to generate evidence, measure impact, and promote learning and adaptation at the Mission level and Washington Operating Units as it relates to racial and ethnic equity. Such practices will include tools that capture indigenous knowledge. The REE MEL Specialist will serve as activity manager for research and evaluations and lead the dissemination from these research agencies wide. The incumbent will also lead the implementation of the REE Key Issue, conduct analysis and disseminate REE results. The REE MEL Specialist will be a member of the ID Hub Racial and Ethnic Equity team based in Washington, DC.

Responsibilities

• Lead the data collection, review, and analysis of the OP and PPR Key Issue Narrative for Racial and Ethnic Equity by working with Missions, ID Hub teams, PPL, DEIA and other offices. Contribute to the analysis of the Indigenous Peoples and Religion and Ethnic Minority key issues for the OP and PPR. Share findings across the Agency and State Department.
• Lead the development and dissemination of succinct, digestible information in various formats to facilitate collaboration with Washington OUs to expand programming that targets racial and ethnic marginalized populations within their technical portfolio.
• To make a case for technical teams to integrate equity within the portfolios, conduct desk reviews, conduct research and literature reviews for a range of technical areas to include climate, economic growth, human rights, and others. Summarize and share findings across the Agency and consolidate resources in a database that will be available to Missions and Washington OU to help inform CDCS and activity design and to elevate racial and ethnic equity within new and existing portfolios.
• Develop a Racial and Ethnic Equity Guide of Indicators to assist measuring results and impact at the regional, country and activity levels. Manage the Standard Indicator Management Review (SIMR) process to request revisions (including adding disaggregates) for standard F indicators for the FY 2024 cycle. Work with PPL and DIS to explore ways to incorporate the indicators from the guide into DIS as appropriate. Develop and implement dissemination and training tools and events to guide OUs to implement the proposed indicators, disaggregates and guide.
• Work with USAID to develop and implement robust MEL frameworks and learning agenda to measure impact and inform the implementation of the Racial and Ethnic Equity Initiative and the Agency Equity Action Plan Strategy #5.
• Lead the implementation of the Racial and Ethnic Equity performance management plan and reporting progress under the Agency Equity Action Plan, the Agency Priority Goal, and other Agency reporting requirements.
• Support the design and implementation of the REE research agenda to include the development and launch of the Racial and Ethnic Equity Dashboard, research to inform the design of a global equity activity.

Qualifications

• Hold a bachelor’s (BA) degree in a related field from an accredited institution with at least 10 years of experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of USAID operations and program development systems and policies.
• Experience in training design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Knowledge and understanding of Inclusive Development concepts and development global issues around racial and ethnic equity.
• Demonstrated ability in developing training that incorporates indigenous knowledge and that responds to indigenous self-determination.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate cross-culturally (both verbally and in writing) complex technical issues to generalist audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work diplomatically and collaboratively, build consensus, and bridge diverse perspectives and interests.
• Demonstrated knowledge and deep understanding of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) practices in international development and, specifically, at USAID.
• Available to travel 50% of the time.
• Telework authorized.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hold a master’s (MA) degree in a related field from an accredited institution.
• Ability to communicate in a second language.
• Demonstrated experience producing visually appealing, accessible, easy to navigate online resources for a wide range of users.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize information to present complex issues clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Dexis is on a mission to help solve today’s most pressing global political, social, and economic challenges and create a world where all people are safe and prosperous. As a Dexis employee, you will be challenged, empowered, and mentored. Our motto is “find a way or make a way” — that’s how Dexis goes “all in.” How will you?

If you are passionate about this opportunity, apply now!

Only those applicants who meet the above criteria will be contacted for interview.